1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal unit for having a card reading unit reading cards, such as magnetic cards and IC cards. The present invention also relates to a POS terminal, and more particularly to a POS terminal in which a card is processed. A feature of the present invention is in a structure of a housing of the terminal unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the number of kinds of cards, such as credit cards and cash cards is increasing. It is thus desired that various types of terminals can process cards. Magnetic cards and IC cards are popularized.
A card reading unit generally means the so-called card reader. However, in the specification, the card reading unit means not only the so-called card reader but also a unit such as a card read/write unit.
A description will be given of a POS terminal unit as a conventional case. Other types of terminal units have substantially the same construction as the POS terminal unit.
Conventionally, a type of POS terminal unit in which use of cards is taken into account has been proposed. There are two cases in which a card reading unit is used for such a POS terminal unit. In the first case, an external card reading unit is connected to the POS terminal unit. In the second case, a card reading unit is provided in the POS terminal unit.
In the case where the card reading unit is provided in the POS terminal unit, a slit used to insert a card into the card reading unit has to be formed on the POS terminal unit.
In a case where the POS terminal unit is used in a store, such as a so-called fast-food store dealing with food and drink, there may be the following problem.
In such a store, liquid, such as drink, is frequently dealt with. Particularly, in a fast-food store there may be many cases in which the POS terminal is set on a counter table over which commodities are handed to persons. In such cases, the liquid, such as drink, may enter the POS terminal unit through the slit used for insertion of the cards. The POS terminal unit is provided with electronic devices. Thus, if the liquid enters the POS terminal unit, the liquid may affect the electronic devices.
The liquid may enter the POS terminal unit through not only the slit used for the insertion of the cards but also other seams on the housing of the POS terminal unit. Thus, it is necessary for the POS terminal unit used particularly in such a food dispensing store to prevent the liquid from entering the unit.